Adapter for well casing



y 1957 H. A. TUBBS 2,793,699

ADAPTER FOR WELL CASING Filed April 11, 1956 INVENTOR. Howe/e0 .4.77/555 @lf s United States Patent ADAPTER FOR WELL CASING Howard A.Tubbs, Whitewater, Wis.

Application April 11, 1956, Serial No. 577,538

3 Claims. (Cl. 16675) The invention relates to wells of the typenormally used for supplying water for domestic or commercial use whereina closed casing extends down into the earth, the lower end of which isin open communication with the subterranean supply of water.

In the submersible pump type of system, the pump and associated motorare normally suspended from the end of the water supply pipe in aposition beneath the water level in the well casing near the lower endof such casing and to service the pump and motor, it is necessary towithdraw same from the well casing by withdrawing the water supply pipeto which it is attached.

In addition to providing a water supply pipe internally of the wellcasing, it is necessary to run appropriate electrical wiring from theupper end of the well casing down through the well casing to the pumpunit.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved uppersection of well casing and sealing cover therefor which facilitatesassembly and servicing of parts within the well casing.

A more specific object is to provide a unitary sealing cover formed as acasting and including an electrical service box arranged for makingquick inspection of the interior of the well casing and for elfectingrapid servicing of the electrical wiring as well as facilitating initialinstallation of said wiring.

Another object is to provide an upper well casing assembly which isinexpensive and easily installed onto the lower sections of the wellcasing.

Another object isto provide an upper well casing section withappropriate unitary covering means for effectively sealing off theotherwise open upper end of the well casing, breathing apparatus beingprovided for admitting atmospheric air into the interior of said wellcasing section.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingspecification and appended drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention, shown partly insection;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig.1the division line being more accurately indicated by means of the line2a-2a of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 however being a detail view of the cover castingalone;

Figure 3 is an underneath detail view of the cover casting alone;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the casing of Fig. 3 seen from above; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of theinvention with certain parts removed and with support boss added.

Referring to Fig. 1 I have shown a conventional submersible pump type ofwater supply system wherein a generally cylindrical casing ofpreselected inside diameter extends down into the earth to the necessarydepth dictated by geographical formations and the subterranean supply ofwater. The casing is identified by the letter A 2,793,699 Patented May28, 1957 and may consist of several successive sections of pipe forminga continuous casing terminating with the uppermost section 10 to which acollar 11 is attached. Within the collar there is provided a couplingdevice to which the upper end of the water supply pipe 12 is connected.The water from pipe 12 is diverted by the coupling device into thedischarge pipe 13 which leads to the house or other recipient of thewater. An additional section of pipe 14 is connected to the couplingdevice for effecting withdrawal of the coupling device, supply pipe 12and the pump unit from the casing. An adapter section 15 is connected tothe upper end of collar 11 and normally projects a few inches aboveground level 16.

It is necessary to close off the otherwise open upper end of the adaptersection of the well casing to prevent foreign matter from gaining entryand at the same time it is necessary to run electrical wiring from asource of electricity into the interior of the well casing,consequently, I have provided a sealing cover identified by the letter Bwhich accomplishes the desired objectives.

The cover is in the form of a single unitary casting having a generallycircular cap portion including an end closure wall 17 having a generallycircular flange 18 projecting axially therefrom. The flange encirclesthe upper open end of the casing adapter and a circular gasket 19 isusually interposed between the end of the adapter and the generally flatunderside of the cover to form an elfective seal. The cover flange mayhave three equally spaced bosses 19 formed thereon to accommodate theset screws 20 which are preferably inclined slightly upwardly so thatwhen tightened against the external wall of the casing adapter, adownward pressure is exerted by the cover against the gasket to form aneffective seal.

Formed integrally with and adjacent one side of the cover is a servicebox identified generally by the numeral 21, the box including side walls22 and 23, end walls 24 and 25 and a downwardly projecting serviceentrance portion 26. The cover flange in the area at 27 serves as onewall of the service entrance portion. The end closure wall of the coverhas an opening 28 therethrough adjacent flange area 27 and the serviceentrance portion has an opening 29 in the end wall 30 thereby providingopen communication from the interior of the well casing to the exteriorof the service box. Thus the electrical wiring 31 can be fed through aconduit 32 and on in through the service box and thence through coveropening 28 into the interior of the well casing.

The underside of the end wall 30 is generally flat and a sealing gasket34 is interposed between the cover 35 and the end wall for effecting aseal. The cover has an internally threaded opening into which the end ofconduit 32 is threaded. The end wall 30 may have outwardly projectingears with openings therein so that the cover 35 can be fastened thereto.The end wall likewise has breather holes 36 which are located outside ofthe area enclosed by the cover 35 (this area being indicated in phantomin Fig. 3) and thus establishing communication between the exterior ofthe service box and the atmosphere for permitting atmospheric air toenter the interior of the well casing. Porous plugs 37 are pressed intothe openings 36 to prevent foreign matter from gaining entry into theservice box.

The end walls of the service box have internal bosses 38 and 39 withinternally threaded bores to receive the fastening screws 40 whichremovably anchor the cover 41 to the otherwise open upper end of theservice box. A gasket 42 is interposed between the underside of thecover and end of the service box and effectively seals the service boxagainst entry of foreign matter. Access to the interior of the servicebox is of course readily made by removing the cover 41 or by simplyremoving I 2,793,699 p J i one of the fastening screws and then usingthe remaining screw as -a pivot while swinging the cover aside. It willbe noted that inspection of the interior of the well casing can be made,when the cover is swung aside by simply peering down through the opening28. When a major servicing operation is involved, the entire coverassembly B can be removed from the upper end of the adapter section 15by loosening screws 20, and the screws which anchor the end wall cover35Ito the service box thereby providing access to the pipe 14 and theparts connected therewith.

7 Viewing Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown the cover casting per se from theunderneath side and the upper side respectively. A strengthening rib 44-is preferably provided and extends from the end wall 24 of the servicebox to the boss 19. The web portion 45 at the floor of the service boxis provided with a rounded upper surface to prevent any possibility ofinjury to the wiring within the service box. It will be understood thatthe flange portion of the cover may be of any predetermined insidediameter to accommodate a particular size Well casing.

In the modified form of the invention as shown in Fig. 5 the cover B mayhave a centrally located hub 50 integral with the underside thereof andthreaded to receive the upper end of the servicing pipe 14a. Likewise,the top side of the cover may have a boss (not shown) to which the eye51 is anchored. Thus the pipe 14a.

and parts connected thereto are withdrawn from the well casing byloosening the set screws and removing the cover by attaching anappropriaterope or otherwise to the eye 51 and hoisting directlyupwardly. The service box 21a may be of the same structural detail asthe service box of Figs. 1-4.

I claim:

1. In a water system having a hollow subterranean well water supplycasing having its upper end projecting above ground level together witha hollow service accommodating conduit adjacent to the well water supplycasing and having its upper end also projecting above ground level,apparatus for closing ofi? the otherwise open upper ends of the casingand conduit, said apparatus comprising: a cover assembly including asingle unitary casting including an end closure wall for the upper endof the casing, a lip circumscribing said wall and projecting downwardlytherefrom whereby to overhang the end margin of the well water supplycasing, a service enclosure in the casting providing a chamber overlyingthe said casing and communicating therewith and-a portion protrudingoutwardly beyond said casing, whereby to overlie the upper end of theservice accommodating conduit, said service enclosure being open at itsupper end; a removable secondary cover closing oil in a substantiallywatertight manner the otherwise open upper end of the service enclosure,an opening in the lower end of the service enclosure outside the casingand the service accommodating conduit being connected in a substantiallywatertight manner to the service enclosure in the opening at the lowerend thereof.

2. In a water system having a hollow subterranean well water supplycasing having its upper end projecting above ground level together witha hollow service accornmodating conduit, adjacent to the well watersupply casing and having its upper end also projecting above groundlevel, apparatus for closing off the otherwise open upper ends of thecasing and conduit, said apparatus com- .prising: a cover assemblyincluding a single unitary casting including an end closure wall for theupper end of the casing; fastening means carried on the casting forremovably anchoring the casting to the casing so as to close off theotherwise open end of said casing in a substantially watertight manner;a service enclosure in the casting providing a chamber having a portionoverlying the said casing and communicating therewith and a portionprotruding outwardly beyond said casing, whereby to overlie the upperend of the service accommodating conduit; said service enclosure beingopen at its upper end; a removable secondary cover closing off in asubstantially watertight manner the otherwise open upper end of theservice enclosure, an opening in the lower end of the service enclosureoutside the casing and the service accommodating conduit being connectedin a sub stantially watertight manner to the service enclosure in theopening at the lower end thereof,

3. Apparatus as setforth in claim 2 wherein an additional removablecover closes olf in a substantially watertight manner the lower openingof the service enclosure and said latter cover has an opening thereininto which the service accommodating conduit is connected in asubstantially watertight manner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS768,993 Hopkins Aug. 30, 1904 840,792 Morse Jan. 8, 1907 2,000,374Buchanan May 7, 1935 2,707,030 Ortman Apr. 26, 1955

